Foldable fence



Jan. 26, 1954 F. M. L Ewls 2,667,335

FOLDABLE FENCE Filed May 3l, 1952 4* @l P-3 Q2 i- 2 I @I 5 f2? fg 5 22 I q 75 7:? Z5 7:? 75 7.9 J/75 (72 f lf 20 l /20 l @77.

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Patented Jan. 26, 1954 FOLDABLE FENCE Frederic Martin Lewis, Belleville, Ontario, Canada, assignor to Jules Saman, Watertown, N. Y.

Application May 31, 1952, Serial No. 290,999k

(Cl. 25E-33) 9 Claims.

This invention relates to fences of the type which are intended mainly for temporary use and which when not in use may be folded into compact form to facilitate the storage and handling of the same.

It is an object of this invention to provide a fence of this type Which can be economically produced and which may be readily positioned in the ground and easily folded into compact form for storage or transport. It is also an object of this invention to provide a fence of this type which requires the minimum of Welding to secure parts thereof together. A further object is to provide a fence comprising a plurality of U-shaped sections arranged with their legs extending horizontally and pivotally connected with adjacent sections and upright brace members welded or brazed to the legs intermediate of the ends thereof and having integral downwardlyl extending parts forming prongs which may be inserted into the ground.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of La fence embodying this invention showing the parts of the same in operative positions.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are transverse sectional elevations thereof, on lines 2-2, 3 3 and 4-4 respectively of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional elevation thereof, on line 5 5, Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a bottom planrview of Ia section of fence showing the same in folded position for storage and transportation.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, on a smaller scale, of a fence of modied construction.

Fences made in accordance with this invention comprise a plurality of sections hingedly connected in such manner that the fence when not in use can readily be folded into compact space. In the particular construction shown for this purpose, I have provided a plurality of U- shaped sections, each comprising an upright part IG connected by two integral substantially horizontally extending legs II and I2. The units are preferably made of wire which can readily be bent into these U-shaped sections. The outer ends of the legs have loops I4 and I5 formed by bending the ends of the legs II and l2 back onto themselves and around the upright part or member I0 of an adjacent section. The loops, consequently, form hinges and the upright parts I9 act as hinge pintles so that adjacent `sections may readily be swung substantially into aline-l ment with each other as shown in Fig. l, or into substantially parallel relation to each other, as shown in Fig. 6. In order to make all of .theseA sections alike, the legs II and I2are bent to vincline slightly toward each other so that the loops i4 and I5 will extend about an upright member I0 of an adjacent loop in close proximity to the legs II and I2 thereof.

In order to further assist in the folding of the fence sections into compact form, the U-v shaped sections are so arranged that the loops I4 and l5 of one section` extend horizontally in one direction from the legs II and I2 and the corresponding loops I4 and I 5 of an adjacent section extend horizontally in opposite directions from the legs as clearly shown in Fig. 5.l Conse-V quently, the loops of alternate sections are,ot set horizontally in opposite directions, from the legs I I and I2. By means of this arrangement of the loops, the adjacentsections of the fence may be folded so as to lie in close proximity to each other, thus economizing in the amount-ofspaceV required to store the fence.

The legs II and I2 of each section of the fence are made of such length as to form a relatively large opening in each section, and in order to re-` duce this opening so that small animals can'n not pass through the fence, I provide each section of the fence withan upright brace member I8 which is preferably made of the sametype of wire as the U-shaped sections of the fence. 'This upright member may be formed of` a separate piece of wire as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 or this member may be a continuation of one of the legs of the U-shaped section of the fence. These upright brace members serve several purposes. In the rst place, they are rigidly secured to.v the legs II and I2 at their points of intersection. Preferably the upright members are secured` to the legs of the sections by means of welding or brazing, as indicated at I9, Fig. 3. By securing the upright member I8 to the legs II and I2 of the sections, these sections are greatly reinforced and strengthened so that there is very little tendency of the legs to be bent out of shape toward or away from each other. The upright membersare also provided with integral parts extending downwardly from the lower legs I 2 of the sections, thus forming prongs or projections 20 which act as spikes to be driven into the ground for'holding the fence in the desired position.

The upper ends of the upright members I8 bends to form loops, the loops of one section extending about the upright member of an adjacent section, upright brace members secured to said legs intermediate of the ends thereof for supporting said legs in their spaced relation to each other, said brace members having integral parts extending upwardly above the upper legs of said sections to increase the height of said fence, and welded connections between sai-d arms and said brace members.

8. A foldable fence comprising a plurality of U-shaped sections, each having its legs arranged substantially horizontally one above the other and connected by an integral upright member, the free ends of the legs of the sections having bends to form loops, the loops of one section extending about the upright member of an adjacent section, and upright brace members secured to said legs intermediate of the ends thereof for supporting said legs in their spaced relation to each other, the loops of alternate adjacent sections extending approximately horizontally in opposite directions from said legs, to enable said units when folded to lie in approximately parallel planes.

9. A vfoldable fence comprising a plurality of U-shaped sections, each having its legs arranged substantially horizontally one above the other and connected by an 'integral upright member, the free ends of the legs of the sections having bends to form loops, the loops of one section extending about the upright member of an adjacent section, the upper leg, after being looped about the upright member of and adjacent section extending back on itself and upwardly over said U-shaped section and then downwardly to intersect said legs to form a brace member, and means for securing said brace member to said legs.

FREDERIC MARTIN LEWIS.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 905,983 Brown Dec. 8, 1908 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 290,494 Great Britain May 17, 1928 

